US Layoffs — September 1998
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 21 WARN Act notices in September 1998, involving roughly 2,401 workers — falling below August and up 386% versus September 1997. Filings came from 3 states and territories, with an average of 114 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 11 | 1,226 |
| Florida | 7 | 880 |
| Alabama | 3 | 295 |
Ohio led the nation with 1,226 workers affected across 11 notices , followed by Florida (880 workers) and Alabama (295 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7 | 677 |
| Healthcare | 3 | 429 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 401 |
| Retail | 2 | 214 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 136 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 59 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 59 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 677 workers across 7 notices. Meanwhile, Healthcare reported 429 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 295 |
Closures accounted for 12% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician Corp. of America | Miami, Florida | 335 | |
| National City Bank | Whitehall, Ohio | 240 | |
| U S A I | Titusville, Florida | 170 | |
| Luverne Slacks | Luverne, Alabama | 156 | Closure |
| AlliedSignal | Greenville, Ohio | 147 | |
| GE Electromaterials | Coshocton, Ohio | 137 | |
| Babusci | Seville, Ohio | 136 | |
| Woody's Market | W. Carrollton, Ohio | 111 | |
| Midwest Stamping | Bowling Green, Ohio | 106 | |
| McAlpin Co./Dillard's | Sharonville, Ohio | 103 |
The biggest impact was at Physician Corp. of America in Miami, Florida, reporting 335 affected workers. National City Bank followed with 240 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in September 1998. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by WARN Firehose, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.